Rye and Prejudice {Page to Plate Thanksgiving}

I suppose these could have been 'The Catcher in the Rye' rolls, but I liked 'Rye and Prejudice'. Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice is another book I haven't read in awhile, but - honestly - it was never one of my favorites. I much prefer her Mansfield Park. But this post isn't a commentary on Austen's works, it's a recipe for some soft, tasty rolls that are a fabulous addition to your holiday table. And they're easy to boot!

Ingredients

• 2 T dry, active yeast
• 1/2 C warm water
• 2 C plain Greek yogurt
• 4 eggs
• 1/4 C unsulphered molasses
• 2 T olive oil
• 1/2 t baking soda
• 2 C white whole wheat flour
• 2 C flour
• 2 C dark rye flour
• sage leaves, to garnish
• fleur de sel, to garnish
• za'atar, to garnish
• butter for rubbing

Procedure

Dissolve yeast in warm water. Let bloom for 10 minutes. In a large mixing bowl, beat together the egg and yogurt until smooth. Add olive oil, molasses and yeast mixture. Add baking soda and flour mixture slowly, beating vigorously after each addition till a stiff dough is formed.

Cover dough with a cloth and let rise in a warm place for an hour or until dough is almost doubled in size. Punch down, knead for a minute, and roll into mini boules. Place on a parchment-lined baking sheet and sprinkle, alternately, with fleur de sel and za'atar. Press fresh sage leaves into the top of a few rolls.

Let rise for a second time for another 45 minutes. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Bake rolls for 60 minutes. When you pull the rolls out of the oven, rub the tops of the rolls with butter. Serve warm.